OC Stories Philly Suburbs

[lprgcFrank]

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Really interesting OC tonight. Carrying my 1911, wearing a S&W IDPA winter championship shirt. I was picking up my daughter from work and got the "since you're out pick me up a Wawa coffee" from my wife.

Radnor PD cruiser in the Wawa parking lot - I see the officer in line. I park right next to him. Daughter stays in the car. I went in and went to the coffee machine. He noticed me and after paying for his bottle of water, stayed in the store and watched me. I got the cofee and came behind him. We both got in line. He got a paper, I paid for the coffee and followed him out. He held the door open for me (twice) and I thanked him (twice) He walked to my right as we went to our cars and each went on our way.

I consider this an outstanding LEO encounter. He was professional and courteous while he discretely made sure nothing was going on that he needed to deal with and then went about his business.:monkey

 

[lprgcFrank]

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9-21 - uneventful OC in Wawa and walking the dog through Wayne. Had one 'soccer mom' type have her eyes bug out as we walked past the movie theater - she grabbed her husband's arm and pointed at my 1911 - but my wife and I just kept talking and walking....

9-22 mostly uneventful OC again in Wawa in Wayne (am and pm), CVS, Radnor Custom Cleaners, Braxtons Animal Supply in Strafford, Mrs. Marty's in Broomall for dinner and trailing behind my wife at AC Moore in Broomall and the routine walk of the dog around Wayne.

I definitely get more WTF looks when I'm dressed like I was this afternoon and evening. I was in shorts, flip flops and a T-shirt carrying my 1911 - I got a couple of wide eyed looks at the 1911 and my face in Wawa and Mrs. Marty's - but I just smiled, said have a good day and went on about my business.

 

[TheJordTrain]

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Frank, you are cool as a cucumber. But if you spend any more time in wawa you'll probably be entitled to bill them for security services.

I didn't get to OC this weekend cos I worked. CC'd on saturday afternoon when I snuck in a bit of dove hunting, though. It's ok, I forgot my choke set and I'm a lousy wingshooter, so even the doves can't claim to be intimidated.

 

[Wynder]

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We need a SEPA/Delaware get together at some point. There're only like, two of us here in Delawhere, heh.

 

[lprgcFrank]

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I'm up for but it needs to be a weekend (Sat or Sun) as I work in OH (or wherever else in the world I happen to be that week)

As to the frequency of my trips to Wawa, it's the local convenience store- can't argue with a store half a mile down the street... - with 3 teenagers we're always running out of bread, milk, lunchmeat or something else and besides my wife is hooked on Wawa's english toffee coffee - it gets me out of trouble for being late if I'm bringing home a cuppa for her

 

[TheJordTrain]

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lprgcFrank wrote:

I'm up for but it needs to be a weekend (Sat or Sun)

AND NOT DURING HUNTING SEASONS

I'm awfully busy. I am free only on saturdays. So, saturdays it is. You guys thinking lunch or a group shoot? I dunno any place round these (delco) parts that doesn't require a membership.

Heck, I always shoot at targetmaster.

 

[lprgcFrank]

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I was thinking a lunch. I'm pretty flexible on locations. Can't do 4th saturdays - I'm one of the SO's for the IDPA match at LPRGC then...

 

[lprgcFrank]

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9-28 uneventful OC in Wawa, CVS, and walking the dog around Wayne

9-29 uneventful OC in Wawa, Sunoco, CVS, lunch at Minella's Diner, walking around Wayne to go to Minella's and walking the dog around Wayne and through downtown Wayne in the evening.

Another professional and uneventful LEO encounter in downtown Wayne while walking the dog the evening of the 29th - a Radnor PD officer was walking around a crowded Wayne (movies just let out). He definitely noticed the 1911 on my hip as we waited for the light to change to cross Rt 30. We made eye contact and nodded to each other. My wife, dog and I just crossed the street and continued our walk.

9-30 uneventful OC Wawa (gotta have my Wawa), Commerce Bank, Meredith's restaurant in Berwyn for lunch with my wife, Lotus Inn on Swedesford Rd. for dinner with my wife and daughter.

 

[lprgcFrank]

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10-5 Uneventful OC CVS in Wayne

10-6 Uneventful OC for lunch with my wife in Nudy's restaurant in Strafford, and playing pack mule as my wife shopped in Waterloo Gardens in Devon, Wayne Sporting Goods in Wayne and Micro Center in Radnor.

Got a couple of 'soccer mom wide eyed stares' coming out of Nudy's but I just smiled and got in the car and left.

Uneventful OC at King Shooter Supply - Roger & Lou working in the store were OC'ing a S&W revolver and a 1911 respectively. No new acquisitions today ...although I did order a holographic sight for one of my 1911's.

Also OC'd at Mainline AutoWash - had to stand outside on the Rt 30 side for about 10 mins while they cleaned the windows & wheels - got a couple of questioning looks from the workers and other customers and a long look from one guy riding a Harley stopped at the traffic light - but no-one approached me. My attire was shorts, flip- flops, a golf shirt & my 1911. Presentable - but the flip flops are a dead giveaway that I'm not a LEO.

Wrapped up the day with more uneventful OC walking the dog down the Radnor trail, dinner at Mino in Frazer and stopping in the Wawa in Paoli.

 

[lprgcFrank]

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10-7 uneventful OC food shopping in Genaurdi's and at Sunoco.

 

[lprgcFrank]

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10-8 uneventful OC in Wawa, CVS & New Wayne Pizza

 

[lprgcFrank]

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10-9 uneventful OC at King Street Grille in Frazer - I met a colleague from England for breakfast and he didn't even notice the 1911 on my hip....

 

[thirtyonebravo]

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had a little encounter a little while ago, was waiting in a super long line in Wendy's in Royersford, and a guy came up to me and said "hey you really should conceal that", to my reply of "why?"

he said to me "well if you have a concealed permit you have to conceal it" hehe

I told him otherwise on that, and unfortunately he left before I got through that ridiculously long line so I wasn't able to get one of PA Patriot's flyers out of the car to give him.

 

[lprgcFrank]

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10-12 Uneventful OC in CVS Wayne and 3 different rest stops on the turnpike as I drove back from Ohio - had a UPS driver take a long look at me as I was gassing up the car but I just smiled and nodded, finished up and went on my way

10-13 Uneventful OC in GlenMorgan restaurant in Radnor Hotel, Wawa, CVS in Rosemont (Montgomery County), Minellas Diner

10-14 Uneventful OC in Wawa and Starbucks in Wayne - Radnor PD in the Starbucks parking lot - but as it was pretty dark back there - not sure he saw the 1911.

It's getting colder - needed a jacket for the dog walk this evening - so couldn't OC.

 

[thirtyonebravo]

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10/19 - about 2pm or so I guess it was, went to Micro Center in St. Davids I think it technically is, right off the Villanova/Radnor exit from 476, was in there for maybe 20 mins or so. No one noticed, that I could tell.

About 20 mins to midnight I went to the airport (PHL) to pick up my mother, had some delays and waiting for baggage, I was there for a good hour at least, walked around a bit, no issues at all, completely uneventful.

 

[lprgcFrank]

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good job thirtyonebravo!!!

Had a fun OC encounter this morning - making a routine stop in Wawa in Wayne to get a 'cuppa' for my wife. As I'm crossing the parking lot, I see a young woman getting out of a car with NY plates and think - this could be interesting...

I pick up my pace to get to the door before her and hold it open for her (I was taught that gentlemen do still do that) and smile at her. She sees the 1911 on my hip - eyes go wide - mouth hangs open - she stutter steps but keeps coming to the door and stammers - thank you... I opened the next door for her as well. She kept glancing over at me until I got the coffee and left.

This was definitely not the behavior she expected from someone with a firearm....

Seeing the cognitive dissonance on her face that someone with a firearm was being civil and courteous to a stranger and doing something normal like buying a cup of coffee brought an even bigger smile to my face - one that I'll keep for the rest of the day.

 

[lprgcFrank]

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10-20 More uneventful OC this afternoon in the Gateway Shopping Center off 202 & 252 - lunch at Mesa Grill and then playing pack mule as we walked between stores and my wife shopped at Trader Joe's, Joann Fabric (not a guy kind of place), and the Party Store. Further shopping in CVS in Wayne and Starbucks in Wayne.

 

[lprgcFrank]

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10-27 uneventful OC - Paoli diner, Braxtons and Radnor Custom Cleaners.

 

[lprgcFrank]

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Good OC today.

No issues walking in downtown Wayne several times or in Toby's shoe repair (3 times). Had an interesting conversation with the clerk in Radnor Custom Cleaners. When I walked in she wanted to know if I had my gun today. I turned my hip so she could see it. She asked if I was FBI. I told her that I was just a citizen. She was surprised to find out that this was legal. We had a nice conversation about the rights of regular citizens to carry a firearm for personal protection. She is an immigrant from Korea and was amazed at this degree of freedom.

Just to show how unaware people are. One of my neighbors came into the cleaners during the conversation about firearms and rights. We chatted about kids and colleges for 10 minutes and she never even noticed the 1911.......

 

[Arma1911]

Does King of Prussia count as a Philly Suburb?

This past weekend, I went to a wedding at the hotel next to the Valley Forge Casino and ran into an OCer at the hotel. I am from Virginia where seeing someone OCing would not surprise me the least bit, but I certainly was surprised to see someone OCing in Southeast Pa. so close to Philadelphia. I had a very nice, lengthy chat with him and he informed me that he has been OCing just about everyday for the last two years with no problems. He said he knows about OCDO, but hadn't checked it out in a while. While we were talking in the lobby, a couple of dozen people walked by us and no one batted an eye. We also happened to be eating in the same restaurant and I observed that it was business as usual for both staff and patrons. I was sorry that I was not OCing that day. Unfortunately, I was not staying in the hotel. Rather, I was staying in NJ that weekend...so, you know how that goes.